Lewis (FUT3) genotypes in two different Chinese populations

The allelic frequencies of the alpha(1, 3/4)fucosyltransferase gene (FUT3) in two different Chinese populations(138 individuals in Shenyang and 154 in Guangzhou) were investigated using PCR-RFLP and nucleotide sequencing meth ods. The common alleles in the Oriental population. Le (Wild type allele), le(59,508) (with the mutations at nucleotide (nt) 59T --> G and nt 508G --> A) and le(59,1067) (with the mutations at nt 59T --> G and nt 1067T --> A) were encountered, and also the rare alleles, le(1067) (With the mutation a t nt 1067T --> A) and Le(59) (with the mutation at 59T --> G), were observe d in these Chinese populations. In addition, the common allele in Caucasian s, le(202,314) (with the mutations at nt 202T --> C and nt 314C --> T), was found in the Oriental population for the first time. The allelic frequenci es of the Le, Le(59), le(59,508), le(59,1067) le(202,314), and le(1067), we re 0.750, 0.011, 0.145, 0.054, 0.036, and 0.004 in the Shenyang population and 0.675, 0.026, 0.14, 0.123, 0.026, and 0.010 in the Guangzhou population , respectively. The presence of the alleles containing either the 59 mutati on (Le(59)) or the 1067 mutation (le(1067)) suggested that the allele le(59 ,1067) may have originated by recombination between them.